Audi A4 Allroad Quattro
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| Audi A4 Allroad Quattro |
Proof that you really don't need that SUV
When the previous-generation Audi Allroad replaced the A4 Avant in the U.S. model range for the 2013 model year, sales increased by 50 percent. Yes, hard-core Audi aficionados went ballistic about the lack of a regular A4 wagon—or A4 Avant in Audi-speak—but understand that a regular station wagon isn’t what the American car-buying public purchases. While many people, including us, would prefer the lower, sportier wagon it offers in Europe, Audi is also in the business of selling vehicles and making profit. So, when the newest, B9-generation A4 range launched earlier this year, it was an easy decision for U.S. product manager Anthony Garbis to skip the regular wagon and go right for the Allroad, now carrying the A4 moniker as well.
This Allroad follows the formula that brought two predecessors, the A6 Allroad and the B8-generation A4-based Allroad to our shores: Lift a wagon, install permanent roof rails, and slap on some chunky body cladding. That’s oversimplifying the task but isn’t completely off base. The modest 1.3-inch lift comes from both longer springs and dampers (0.9 inch) and slightly taller all-season Continental ProContact TX radials (0.4 inch). The roof rails are aluminum and stout enough that they might serve as tow hooks. The cladding adds no width to that of a standard A4, even if it looks as if it does. Even better, the add-ons aren’t just raw plastic. Garbis, with a hint of pride in his voice, confirms that the two-tone Allroad’s tack-on bits are painted matte black, an expensive process, we’re told. Those who hate the two-tone look can get the plastic painted to match the body color for $1575. (The monotone option itself costs $1000 but is offered only with metallic paints that add another $575 to the sticker.)
Quattro Goes Ultra
The only other attribute that makes this Allroad special is its new all-wheel-drive system, marketed as Quattro with Ultra Technology. The Ultra business of this system dumps a center differential for a pair of clutches, one at each end of the rear axle’s driveshaft. Under most conditions, the Allroad functions as a front-driver for a slight bump in efficiency. Not spinning the driveshaft saves precious drops of fuel, and said shaft can be reengaged in as little as 0.2 second. While it is an understandable step toward meeting CAFE regulations, we also see it as a heretical departure from the traditional all-wheel-drive Quattro canon. Expect the system to appear in other Audis, although all S and RS models will continue to use center differentials.
Except for the new all-wheel-drive system, the powertrain is a direct carryover from the A4. A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with cam phasers and variable exhaust-valve lift makes 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. Ratios are swapped via a dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters for manual gearchanges, if that’s your thing. The seven forward ratios are identical to those in the A4, but a shorter final-drive ratio (4.41:1 versus 4:23:1) combats the resistance of taller tires and the claimed 199-pound penalty for the wagon bodywork. The A4 Allroad is more than capable of keeping up with the briskest traffic, and we expect it to return a launch-control-assisted zero-to-60-mph time in the mid-five-second range.
A+ Accommodations
Those familiar with Audi’s most recent interiors will feel comfortable in the Allroad. Solid black is available, but the two-tone interiors are especially rich in appearance and feel. In the $44,950 Premium trim model, analog gauges fill the binnacle behind a pleasant and well-contoured steering wheel. Those who want the 12.3-inch, full-color Virtual Cockpit with its configurable gauges and driver-oriented screen will have to select the Premium Plus trim ($3000) and its Technology package ($3250), which also includes navigation, an 8.3-inch center screen, and blind-spot monitoring. Other Premium Plus upgrades include a 19-speaker, 755-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, front and rear parking sensors, proximity-key entry, LED headlights, and 4G LTE connectivity and its associated in-car Wi-Fi. The standard panoramic sunroof’s perforated sunshade is one of very few interior oversights—it doesn’t effectively block out the sun.
Fully loaded Prestige models require a $7400 upgrade from the base car and include all the Premium Plus and Technology package items, plus a full-color head-up display, acoustically insulated front-side windows, and a multi-camera setup with 360-degree “Top View” functionality to ease low-speed maneuvering fore or aft.
The Allroad sweet spot seems to be a Premium Plus car with the Technology and Cold Weather packages (heated seats and steering wheel, $500) and the Sport package, which includes the A4’s supportive 12-way sport seats for another $500, totaling $52,200. That’s a few grand more than Audi charges for a similarly equipped Q5 crossover, but there are a few bells and whistles on the Allroad that aren’t available on the Q.
Not Much Penalty for Lifted Suspension
Raising the car a little more than one inch doesn’t do much to erode the driving dynamics of the already proficient A4. Unlike the slightly sloppy on-center wobble we found in the A4 sedan’s steering, the Allroad’s tracks straight and true, no matter what Drive Select mode is engaged, and the brakes deliver inspired feedback without so much as a hint of sponginess. Among Comfort, Auto, Dynamic, and Individual modes, we found Auto to do everything well. The steering goes overly light in Comfort mode, while choosing Dynamic cranks the firmness of the adaptive dampers beyond what a pseudo SUV requires. Auto is the “just right” porridge for this backwoods bear.
The only mode the Allroad offers that isn’t in the A4 quiver is Offroad. When selected, steering effort is reduced and Quattro engages the driveshaft all the time (with some clutch slipping when turning to avoid driveline binding). Offroad mode also changes the adaptive damping and disables the forward-collision warning and impact intervention so as not to inadvertently stop the car from hitting a tree you weren’t going to hit anyway. We drove the Allroad down 90 miles of Wyoming logging roads and engaged Offroad some of the time. As was true on paved roads, the Auto mode seemed to work just as well as Offroad mode. You might see greater benefit to Offroad mode in deep snow or on particularly icy roadways.
Lots of Room, Less Consumption than an SUV
Remember that mention of fuel economy? The reality is that EPA ratings give the new A4 Allroad a 1 mpg advantage over its predecessor on the combined scale (25 mpg), with the city rating up just 2 mpg (23 mpg) and the highway figure unchanged at 28 mpg. The Volkswagen Group may have tightened its EPA-reporting leash—well, at this point it might as well be a noose—for the 2017 model year, so any improvement greater than marginal might be hidden. We’ll learn more when we can test one on familiar roads. The good news for the A4 Allroad’s sales ambitions is that its combined-fuel-economy rating tops the Q5’s by more than 10 percent.
Open the power rear hatch (which can be operated by wiggling a foot under the bumper in Allroads equipped with the Technology package), and the standard cargo cover automatically lifts out of the way to reveal a 24-cubic-foot compartment. There also is a divider to protect back-seat passengers from loose items, and the seatback folds in 40/20/40 sections for maximum versatility. Drop the seats all the way and there are 59 cubic feet to fill. When the back seats are in place, they’re plenty comfortable for two adults, with ample head and knee room. Fitting three would be a squeeze, but it’d be doable over a short distance.
Living up to its name, the A4 Allroad is unlikely to meet a mapped road it can’t negotiate, even if few owners will attempt anything more daring than making use of the extra ground clearance while trekking through deep snow. An SUV is an obvious solution for this scenario, but in a world rapidly filling with crossovers, the distinctive Allroad faithfully keeps the wagon torch lit. Those driving an SUV now may discover how much they miss truly carlike dynamics once they encounter the real thing again in the Allroad. Maybe Allcar would be a better name, because this is really all the car most people need. Source by Caranddriver.com
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